The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. The Ring of the Niblung, part 1. Рихард Вагнер

other: Freia alone!

      FAFNER

      Thou there, follow us!

      [Fafner and Fasolt press towards Freia. Froh and Donner enter in haste.

      FREIA

      Help! Help from the harsh ones!

      FROH [Clasping Freia in his arms.

      To me, Freia!

      [To Fafner.

      Back, overbold one!

      Froh shields the fair one!

      DONNER [Confronting the giants.

      Fasolt and Fafner,

      Have ye not felt

      With what weight my hammer falls?

      FAFNER

      What means thy threat?

      FASOLT

      What wouldst thou here?

      No strife we desire;

      We want but our due reward.

      DONNER

      Oft I've doled out

      Giants their due:

      Come, your reward is here

      Waiting, full measure and more!

      [He swings his hammer.

      WOTAN

      [Stretching out his spear between the combatants.

      Hold, thou fierce one!

      Nothing by force!

      All bonds and treaties

      My spear protects;

      Spare then thy hammer's haft!

      FREIA

      Woe's me! Woe's me!

      Wotan forsakes me!

      FRICKA

      Can such be thy thought,

      Merciless man?

      WOTAN

      [Turns away and sees Loge coming.

      There comes Loge!

      Hot is thy haste

      Smoothly to settle

      Thy sorry, badly-made bargain!

      LOGE

      [Has come up out of the valley in the background.

      What is this bargain

      That I am blamed for?—

      The one with the giants

      That thou thyself didst decide?

      O'er hill and o'er hollow

      Drives me my whim;

      House and hearth

      I do not crave.

      Donner and Froh,

      They dream but of roof and room:

      Wedding, must have

      A home in which to dwell,

      A stately hall,

      A fortress fast.

      It was such Wotan wished.

      Hall and house,

      Castle, court,

      The blissful abode

      Now stands complete and strong.

      I proved the lordly

      Pile myself;

      In fear of flaws,

      Scanning it close.

      Fasolt and Fafner

      Faithful I found;

      Firm-bedded is each stone.

      I was not slothful

      Like many here:

      Who calls me sluggard, he lies!

      WOTAN

      Cunningly

      Thou wouldst escape!

      Warned be, and wisely

      Turn from attempts to deceive.

      Of all the Gods

      I alone stood by thee

      As thy friend,

      In the gang that trusted thee not.

      Now speak, and to the point!

      For when the builders at first

      As wage Freia demanded,

      I gave way only,

      Trusting thy word

      When thou didst solemnly promise

      To ransom the noble pledge.

      LOGE

      Perplexed to puzzle,

      Plans to ponder

      For its redeeming—

      That promise I gave;

      But to discover

      What cannot be,

      What none can do,

      No man can possibly promise.

      FRICKA

      See the treacherous

      Rogue thou didst trust!

      FROH

      Named art Loge,

      But liar I call thee!

      DONNER

      Accursèd flame,

      I will quench thy fire!

      LOGE

      From their shame to shelter,

      Foolish folk flout me.

      [Donner threatens to strike Loge.

      WOTAN

      [Stepping between them.

      Forbear and let him alone!

      Ye wot not Loge's wiles.

      His advice,

      Given slowly, gains

      Both in weight and in worth.

      FAFNER

      Do not dally;

      Promptly pay!

      FASOLT

      Long waits our reward.

      WOTAN

      [Turns sternly to Loge.

      Speak up surly one!

      Fail me not!

      How far hast thou ranged and roamed?

      LOGE

      Still with reproach

      Is Loge paid!

      Concerned but for thee,

      Thorough and swift,

      I searched and ransacked

      To the ends of the earth

      To